Guy's Homemade Barbecue Sauce

This is absolutely the best Barbecue Sauce — we'd tried lots of bottled brands before and always found the flavour lacking. Inspired with the promise of making Barbecued Baby Back Ribs for the Labour Day long weekend, my husband researched a number of recipes for homemade sauce and came up with this heavenly elixir. Sweet and spicy with sensational smokey undertones, this full-flavoured thick and tangy sauce is so easy to make, you'll never buy another bottle of store-bought barbecue sauce ever again. 

The secret is to make this sauce one day ahead, to allow the flavours to blend together and become more complex as the sauce is simmered over low heat for an hour, then cooled and refrigerated overnight. For the best flavour, my husband uses Heinz ketchup, French's classic yellow 'ballpark' mustard and a few teaspoons of liquid smoke for a deep and rich tomato-based sauce with intense layers of sweetness, tartness and heat, with an extra boost of flavour from Worcestershire sauce, garlic, brown sugar and red wine vinegar. Delicious served with baby back ribs, chicken or even pulled pork, my husband's fabulous recipe is the ultimate Barbecue Sauce, guaranteed to tantalize the taste-buds of even the most passionate rib connoisseurs.

Guy's Barbecue Sauce
Makes 5 cups

2 medium onions, finely chopped
8 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup vegetable oil
10 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
4 cups Heinz ketchup
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2/3 cup prepared French's yellow mustard
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
6 tsp liquid smoke


Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 3 minutes. Then add the garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add the chili powder, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper, and stir for one minute. Then add all the remaining ingredients, and bring to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon to combine. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally for 1 hour. When done, cool the sauce to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours before using.